Each NFL team plays eight games in their home city per season. Next year, London will be halfway there.
The league announced in a statement Friday it is expanding its reach into the United Kingdom by scheduling four games in London in 2017. The NFL has played three sellout games in the world capital since 2014.
"We continue to be incredibly excited by the passion and love the NFL shown by out millions of UK fans," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in the statement.
The teams and venues for the games will be announced at 1 p.m. UK time on Dec. 13 via Facebook Live.
"London staging a fourth NFL game is fantastic news -- not only for the millions of sports fans who get to enjoy our iconic stadium -- but also because it confirms our status as the go-to choice for hosting the world's biggest sporting events," said London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who added the expansion is a "huge step" toward his goal of bringing a franchise to the city.
According to the NFL, viewership of the league is growing in the UK and is on pace to reach a record number of viewers this season. Since the league began playing London games in 2007, figures show that 40,000 people aged 14 or older play American football in the UK.

Each NFL team plays eight games in their home city per season. Next year, London will be halfway there.

The league announced in a statement Friday it is expanding its reach into the United Kingdom by scheduling four games in London in 2017. The NFL has played three sellout games in the world capital since 2014.

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"We continue to be incredibly excited by the passion and love the NFL shown by out millions of UK fans," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in the statement.

The teams and venues for the games will be announced at 1 p.m. UK time on Dec. 13 via Facebook Live.

"London staging a fourth NFL game is fantastic news -- not only for the millions of sports fans who get to enjoy our iconic stadium -- but also because it confirms our status as the go-to choice for hosting the world's biggest sporting events," said London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who added the expansion is a "huge step" toward his goal of bringing a franchise to the city.

According to the NFL, viewership of the league is growing in the UK and is on pace to reach a record number of viewers this season. Since the league began playing London games in 2007, figures show that 40,000 people aged 14 or older play American football in the UK.